For Joey Gibellino and his family in Trabuco Canyon, California, hard water had become an accepted part of everyday life. After more than a decade in their home, mineral-heavy water was taking its toll on both their plumbing system and daily routine.
Calcium buildup quickly appeared on faucets and fixtures, water spots covered their glass shower and dishes, and the hard water even contributed to the premature failure of the heat exchanger in their tankless water heater after only five or six years.
Like many homeowners, Joey looked for a whole-home water treatment solution. After installing another filtration system, however, the family saw little improvement. Scale continued to build up, water still tasted like untreated tap water, and there were no noticeable changes in skin, hair or soap performance.
"I wasn't too happy with what we had before," Joey said. "We still had scale buildup on the faucets, and my wife and I really didn't notice any difference."
Beyond the inconvenience of hard water, Joey also wanted greater confidence in the water his family was drinking. Because the previous system didn't seem to improve taste or water quality, the family continued buying bottled water for their son.
Looking for a solution that could improve water quality while protecting their home's plumbing system, Joey installed the Navien WEC whole-home water treatment system.
The improvements became noticeable almost immediately. Water felt smoother without the slippery sensation often associated with traditional salt-based water softeners and water spots that had become a constant cleaning chore were dramatically reduced.
Operating the system has also been simple. Aside from periodically refilling the CIP solution, the WEC handles routine maintenance automatically, eliminating the need to manually schedule regeneration cycles like Joey had experienced with his previous system.
One feature that particularly stood out was the WEC's dual-module design. While one module regenerates, the second module continues treating water, allowing the family to enjoy uninterrupted water treatment throughout the home.
"The other module takes over when the first one needs to clean itself out, so you don't really experience any downtime," Joey explained. "That's really nice."
Joey also appreciates the visibility provided through the NaviLink™ Lite app, which allows him to monitor incoming water quality and see how effectively the system is reducing contaminants throughout the day.
Since installing the WEC, the improvements have been noticeable throughout nearly every part of the home. The family's glass shower stays cleaner with far fewer water spots, dishes come out of the dishwasher without mineral spotting, and Joey's family even enjoys the taste of water from the WEC.
"Now I fill up my son's water bottle right from the sink, and he actually likes it better than bottled water," Joey said.
The benefits extend beyond what can be seen. Joey's wife immediately noticed healthier-feeling hair, while brushing their daughter's hair after bath time has become much easier. A recent trip to a family vacation home with hard water reminded them just how significant the difference had become.
Perhaps most importantly, the WEC has given Joey greater peace of mind about the quality of the water his family uses every day. Rather than wondering whether their treatment system is working, he can both see the performance through the NaviLink Lite app and notice the difference in everyday use.
For Joey, the WEC has delivered the improvements he was hoping for from the very beginning: reduced scale buildup, easier maintenance, and confidence that his home's water is being treated continuously.
"I'm super happy with the WEC," Joey said. "It's really made a huge difference in our home, our water quality, just everything. You can really tell what a big difference it makes."
